Drastic drop in blood flow of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation induced by an excessive increase in intra-abdominal pressure in an obese patient

Abstract

Obesity and conditions that increase intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) should be considered as risk factors for reduced extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) blood flow (BF) drastically. For obese patients on ECMO, effective IAP control and risk factor assessment is necessary to prevent excessive IAP elevation and subsequent drop in ECMO BF.